Most members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet are expected to launch official TikTok accounts Tuesday, a White House official confirmed to Fox News.
The coordinated rollout, first reported by Axios, follows a July 16 opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel concluding that federal employees may use TikTok because the app is now operated by a U.S.-approved owner that falls outside the federal ban.
The DOJ opinion concluded that the version of TikTok operated by the TikTok U.S. Data Security Joint Venture is not prohibited under the No TikTok on Government Devices Act, a 2022 law that barred TikTok from federal government devices because of national security concerns tied to Chinese parent company ByteDance.
The opinion says the law prohibits versions of TikTok “developed or provided by entities in which ByteDance Limited has a controlling ownership stake.”
TIKTOK AVOIDS US BAN BY FINALIZING HISTORIC TRUMP-BACKED AMERICAN MAJORITY OWNERSHIP DEAL
According to the DOJ, the current version of TikTok no longer meets that definition because the joint venture “functions independently of ByteDance, is majority-owned by American investors and has revised the content recommendation algorithm and cybersecurity program originally developed by ByteDance to insulate federal government information against the concerning security features that initially motivated the prohibition.”
The decision marked a significant shift in the federal government’s posture toward TikTok after years of bipartisan concerns over the app’s ties to China and data security risks.
Trump has increasingly embraced TikTok, arguing the platform helped him connect with younger voters during the 2024 campaign.
“You know, I watched a couple of people critical of the fact that TikTok, TikTok, it’s so bad. It’s so dangerous. It’s horrible. They’re spreading all these rumors,” Trump said July 8.
“And the numbers came out yesterday. You know who’s No. 1 on TikTok? I am. I’m No. 1 at TikTok.”
TRUMP, BONDI SUED OVER TIKTOK DEAL THAT ALLEGEDLY ‘SUBVERTED’ CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW
Trump also dismissed criticism from some China hawks, saying his messaging on the platform undercuts concerns about Chinese influence.
“And all I talk about is how bad communism is, right?” Trump said. “They say, ‘Oh, it’s terrible.’ They’re spreading. But I’m No. 1. I listen to Gordon Chang. I like Gordon Chang, but he’s always, like, negative.
“Oh, China is so terrible. They’re so terrible, and TikTok is so terrible. But I am No. 1 on TikTok. I have, like 4 billion views or something like that.”
Earlier this month, Trump also credited TikTok with helping deliver his election victory.
CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO
“We have to be careful because China is a great competitor,” Trump said during a July 6 event. “But, you know, he was talking about we must stop TikTok. I’m No. 1 on TikTok. I think it helped me win the election in a landslide if you want to know the truth.”
Fox News’ Patrick Ward contributed to this report.
Read the full article here
